August 2020 - Unspool Hollywood

MY NAME IS PEDRO Trailer

The trailer for Lillian LaSalle's upcoming award-winning and timely documentary MY NAME IS PEDRO is here.

LaSalle's film explores what public education meant to South Bronx Latino maverick educator, Pedro Santana, and what he, in turn, meant to public education. MY NAME IS PEDRO is a profound story of how one person actualizes learning and positive change in children, adults, environments and communities through an 'impact' ripple effect strategy that he has effortlessly perfected. The film is also an essential and timely reminder of the importance of great educators that exist within the infrastructure of our country's public education system.

View Trailer Below!

MY NAME IS PEDRO opens in Virtual Cinemas in New York at The Maysles Cinema on September 17th and Los Angeles at the Laemmle on October 2nd with major cities to follow.

OFFICIAL SELECTION AND AWARDS:

Winner: Best Documentary, Golden Door International Film Festival
Winner: Spotlight on Documentary Award, St. Louis International Film Festival
Winner: Audience Award, Chicago Latino International Film Festival
Winner: Audience Award, Brooklyn Film Festival
Winner: Award of Merit, Impact Docs
Winner: Honorable Mention, Woodstock Film Festival
Official Selection: Women’s Filmmaker Showcase, BAFF
Official Selection: San Diego Latino International Film Festival

MY NAME IS PEDRO- Connect on Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mynameispedrodoc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyNameisPedrodoc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PedroSantanaDoc

THE SWERVE Trailer

On VOD and Digital September 22, 2020

Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Written and Directed by: Dean Kapsalis
Starring: Azura Skye, Bryce Pinkham, Ashley Bell, and Zach Rand

THE SWERVE tells the behinds the scenes in the life of Holly, a wife and mother seems to have it all: two kids, a nice house, a good job as a teacher, and a husband with his career on the way up. But there are troubling signs that all is not right in her world. The insomnia. The medication for the insomnia. The dreams from the medication for the insomnia. The arrival of her estranged sister and a mouse invading her home don’t help either. Add the weight of a dark secret, and her already delicate balance collapses, sending her spiraling out of control.

With her riveting and acclaimed performance as Holly, Azura Skye effortlessly crafts a portrait of a struggling mother on the edge. Writer and director Dean Kapsalis’s powerfully heart-wrenching feature debut explores a week in the life of a woman on the verge in this haunting meditation on mental illness.

THE SWERVE celebrated its world premiere at the 2019 Cinepocalypse Film Festival, and screened at the 2019 Panic Film Festival; winning both awards for Best Actress for Azura Skye. The film will be releasing on major VOD/Digital platforms beginning Tuesday, September 22, 2020.

About Epic Pictures

In 2013, the company established Epic Pictures Releasing which is its US focused distribution division. In 2017, Epic Pictures acquired the world’s most popular horror website, Dread Central, and launched its unique horror label, Dread, followed by its AVOD channel, DreadTV.

In 2019, Epic Pictures started the horror gaming site, DreadXP, with a focus on editorial, reviews, podcasts, and original streaming content. In 2020, DreadXP began a video game publishing division with the launch of The Dread X Collection, an anthology of horror games in collaboration with some of the most innovative developers in the independent gaming space. https://epic-pictures.com/

Facebook: facebook.com/TheSwerveMovie
Twitter: twitter.com/TheSwerveMovie
Instagram: instagram.com/TheSwerveMovie

Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Written and directed by: Dean Kapsalis
Starring: Azura Skye, Bryce Pinkham, Ashley Bell, and Zach Rand
Producer: Tommy Minix, p.g.a.
Production Co.: Spark Chamber
Cinematographer: Daryl Pittman
Editor: Dean Kapsalis and Alec Styborski
Casting: Adrienne Stern
Music: Mark Korven

ENTWINED: Movie Review

Anastasia Rafaella Konidi , Prometheus Aleifer in Minos Nikolakakis’ ENTWINED (Photo Credit: Dark Star Pictures)

Director: Minos Nikolakakis
Written by: John de Holland, Minos Nikolakakis
Cast: Prometheus Aleiferopoulos, Anastasis-Rafaela Konidi, John de Holland
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Romance
3 Stars
Country: Greece/UK
Language: Greek with English subtitles

Fork Lore Collides with Man

After the death of their father and his inability to save him, Panos (Prometheus Aleiferopoulos), a doctor, is determined to use his medical knowledge to help to those who lack access to a doctor. Eventually setting on the remote village in Alyti, he part ways with his half-brother, George (John De Holland), where he finds love with Danae (Anastasia Rafaella Konidi), a woman with a secluded and very secretive living in the woods with her abusive father (Kostas Laskos.)

Anastasia Rafaella Konidi in Minos Nikolakakis’ ENTWINED (Photo Credit: Dark Star Pictures)

Director Minos Nikolakakis’ debut film, ENTWINED, weaves Greek myths and cultural superstitions of the residences of Alyti with the modern world of Panos’ own belief and the turmoil that develops as he brings these two worlds together to co-exist.

Upon arriving in the village, Panos is told he is the first doctor in the have ever had. Surprised, he finds that difficult to understand, especially considering that most of the population were elderly. His belief in the power of medicine over what they believed made him look past their cultural practices as he settled into his new life amongst them as their new doctor.

Prometheus Aleifer in Minos Nikolakakis’ ENTWINED (Photo Credit: Dark Star Pictures)

Providing a realistic backdrop to the film’s Greek fork lore, Nikolakakis filmed ENTWINED on location in Mountain Parnonas on the Peloponnese peninsula. This is the location of where many of the ancient Greek myths originated. Myths like neireds, the female spirits of sea water; nymphs, sacred female supernatural beings in charge of forces of nature and nature’s spirits of the earth, water, air, and fire.

In the opening and through-out, director of photography, Thodoros Mihopoulos, brings the trees and vegetation into the forefront, helping tell the story of Panos’s fortunes living in the woods with Danae..

Danae wears a white dress throughout the film while surrounded by soft lighting giving her a magically fairy aura without the use of special effects. The dark and shabbiness of the shack, she called home, along with Panos’ change overtime, provide a good contrast with her. The use of fire, as an additional source of light, and the critical source of her being, bringing in one of the major elements of nature.

Aleiferopoulos and Konidi give good performance as they bring the Greek mystical God of love and sex, Enos and the God of death, Thanatos, to life.

Prometheus Aleifer, Anastasia Rafaella Konidi in Minos Nikolakakis’ ENTWINED (Photo Credit: Dark Star Pictures)

ETWINE is interesting film that gives insight to the myths and supernatural superstitions of Greek cultural as the villager move into the 21^st century.

Distributor: Dark Star Pictures
Production Co: Inkas Film Production Co.
Producers: Minos Nikolaskakis, Lilette Botassi
Run time: 1 hr. 29 min
Cast: Prometheus Aleiferopoulos, Anastasia-Rafaela Konidi Kostas Laskos, Manos Vakoussis, Anna Kozakinou, Aleka Toumazatou, John de Holland, Maria Eglezaki
Director: Minos Nikolakakis
Writers: John de Holland, Minos Nikolakakis
Director of Photography: Thodoros Mihopoulos, GSC
Editor: Giorgos Georgopoulos
Composer: Sotiris Debonos
Production Designer: Chrysa Daponte
Sound: Yannis Antypas
Hair & Make-up: Ioanna Symeonidi
Special Effects Make-up: Prokopis Vlaseros
Visual Effects: Melancholy Star & Kent
Producers: Minos Nikolakakis & Lilette Botassi
Executive Producer: Inkas Film Productions
Co-producers: Greek Film Center, ERT, Multivision, Authorwave, Melancholy Star, Helleniki Technik

THE ANTENNA New Trailer

DIRECTED & WRITTEN BY: Orçun Behram

CAST: Ihsan Önal, Gül Arici, Levent Ünsal, Isil Zeynep, Murat Saglam, Elif Çakman, Mert Toprak Yadigar and Eda Öze.

In a dystopian Turkey, the Government installs new networks throughout the country to monitor information.

The installation goes wrong in a crumbling apartment complex and Mehmet (Ihsan Önal), the building intendant, will have to confront the evil entity behind the inexplicable transmissions that threaten the residents.

Born in 1987, filmmaker Orçun Behram graduated from Columbia College, Chicago majoring film in 2011. Establishing himself in Istanbul, he has worked on variety of projects from music videos and short films to documentaries. The Antenna (2019) is the director’s first feature.

View Trailer Below!

OPENS IN VIRTUAL THEATERS (October 2)-Including: Los Angeles (Laemmle), New York and major cities (Museum Of The Moving Image (MOMI), Alamo On Demand) and Philadelphia (Film Society).

VOD (US & Canada) (October 20): Including: iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Xbox, Vudu, Dish Network and all major cable providers.

*****Official Selection: Toronto International Film Festival and many more.******

Runtime: 1 hour 55 minutes
Color
Language: Turkish with English subtitles; Rating: Not Rated
Genre: (Horror)

Distributed in North America by: Dark Star Pictures

DARK STAR PICTURES

Dark Star Pictures is a new-age North American distribution company, focused on bringing unique and targeted content to audiences across the country. The company is committed to releasing auteur-driven, original cinema in the theatrical, digital and home video space. Dark Star’s goal is to create original marketing campaigns directly catered to audiences who will embrace our brand of thought-provoking cinema. The company also services distribution companies and producers in the theatrical, digital, and festival space.

FIRST ONE IN New Movie Trailer

Available on Amazon Prime Video
Tuesday, September 8, 2020

After accidentally killing an endangered animal on a popular reality TV show, Madi Cooke (Kat Foster) is labeled an eco-terrorist, is fired from her job, and believes she now is the most hated woman in America.

FIRST ONE IN is set to release on major VOD/Digital platforms including Amazon, iTunes, and Google Play beginning Tuesday, September 8, 2020.

Runtime: 1 hour 38 minutes
Rating: Not Yet Rates
Genre: Comedy

Facebook: facebook.com/FirstOneInFilm
Twitter: twitter.com/FirstOneInFilm
Instagram: instagram.com/FirstOneInFilm

FIRST ONE IN is written and directed by Gina O’Brien. Produced by Paul Jarrett and Nick Huston and executive produced by Jonathan Gray. Cinematography by Matthew Santo. Edited by Charles Divak. Casting by Christine Kromer. A Rosetta Films and Literally Films Production.

Sweet 180 Presents MY NAME IS PEDRO

Releasing in Virtual Theaters in New York (The Maysles Cinema) September 17 and Los Angeles (Laemmle) on October 2 with major cities to follow

(L-R) Pedro Santana and students in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: New York Times/ Sweet 180)

Directed by: Lillian La Salle
Documentary
Runtime: 2 hours 7
Language: English

Lillian LaSalle's award-winning, powerful documentary MY NAME IS PEDRO explores what public education meant to South Bronx Latino maverick educator, Pedro Santana, and what he, in turn, meant to public education. The film is also especially timely in this moment of national reckoning since the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests.

Infectious in his optimism, Santana becomes one of the most influential public-school teachers and then administrators in the New York public school system after turning his troubled Bronx middle school, MS 391, around. He is unapologetic in his commitment to create change for kids, no matter the odds. When a glowing front-page New York Times article catapults him into the spotlight, he is recruited and then accepts a promotion to use his famed 'out of the box' and transformative practices to save a corrupt and divided suburban school district. But the political challenges there may simply be too great, even for the infallible Santana.

In order to continue his life's mission that 'every kid can learn', (he himself was labeled 'special ed' as a child), he realizes that he must venture beyond not only the restrictive 'four walls' of the public education system, but also his own neighborhood, city and even his own country.

MY NAME IS PEDRO is a profound story of how one person actualizes learning and positive change in children, adults, environments and communities through an 'impact' ripple effect strategy that he has effortlessly perfected. The film is also an essential and timely reminder of the importance of great educators that exist within the infrastructure of our country's public education system.

Lillian LaSalle, Director

MY NAME IS PEDRO is a 7 year-long filmmaking journey, marking Lillian LaSalle’s directorial debut.

LaSalle is the recipient of the 2016 Peabody "Futures of Media” Award for Producing the web-series, Halal In The Family, starring Aasif Mandvi, which garnered wide-spread media attention for taking on Islamophobia through the use of comedy and parody.

LaSalle is the Producer of several feature films including, Loggerheads, which premiered in competition at The Sundance Film Festival and Sweet Land, which won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature for writer/director, Ali Selim. LaSalle’s other notable feature Producing credits include: Today's Special, which premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and won the audience award at the Palm Springs Film Festival, Just Like the Son from director Morgan Freeman, Find Love, Heavy Petting, and Mentor, as well as Southern Belles and American Cannibal: The Road to Reality.

LaSalle is currently Executive Producing the feature length animated feature, The Night Diary, based on the award-winning book, alongside animator/writer Gitanjali Rao (Bombay Rose, Tribeca Film Festival) and writer/director, Sabrina Dahwan, (Monsoon Wedding) with Hyde Park Entertainment. LaSalle will also produce the feature film, Our Lady Of The Snow , from award winning writer/director, Tom Gilroy (Spring Forward, The Cold Lands) .

SWEET 180

Sweet 180 is a New York based talent management and production company. In business for over 20 years, they represent award-winning talent across all platforms – film, television and theater.
Website: https://sweet180.com

OFFICIAL SELECTION AND AWARDS:

Winner: Best Documentary, Golden Door International Film Festival
Winner: Spotlight on Documentary Award, St. Louis International Film Festival
Winner: Audience Award, Chicago Latino International Film Festival
Winner: Audience Award, Brooklyn Film Festival
Winner: Award of Merit, Impact Docs
Winner: Honorable Mention, Woodstock Film Festival

MY NAME IS PEDRO- Connect on Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mynameispedrodoc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyNameisPedrodoc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PedroSantanaDoc]

PR CONTACT:
Emma Griffiths (EG-PR)f
emma@eg-pr.com
www.eg-pr.com

Dark Star Pictures THE ANTENNA Opening in Virtual Theaters Friday, October 2

WITH A NORTH AMERICAN VOD RELEASE TO FOLLOW ON OCTOBER 20 ON ALL MAJOR PLATFORMS

VIRTUAL THEATERS (October 2)-Including: Los Angeles (Laemmle), New York and major cities (Alamo On Demand) and Philadelphia (Film Society).

VOD (US & Canada) (October 20): Including: iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Xbox, Vudu, Dish Network and all major cable providers.

Runtime: 1 hour. 45 minutes;
Language: Turkish with English subtitles
Rating: Not Rated
Genre: Horror
Distributed in North America by: Dark Star Pictures

THE ANTENNA is an Official Selection: Toronto International Film Festival and many more.

DIRECTED & WRITTEN BY: Orçun Behram

CAST: Ihsan Önal, Gül Arici, Levent Ünsal, Isil Zeynep, Murat Saglam, Elif Çakman, Mert Toprak Yadigar and Eda Öze.

In a dystopian Turkey, the Government installs new networks throughout the country to monitor information.

DARK STAR PICTURES

PR Contact:
Emma Griffiths (EG-PR)

Movie Review: THE PREY

Director: Jimmy Henderson
Written by: Jimmy Henderson, Michael Hodgson, Kai Miller
Starring: Byron Bishop, Sahajak Boonthanakit, Nophand Boonyai, Vithaya Pansringarm, Gu Shang Wei
Genre: Horror
Language: Cambodian and Chinese (Mandarin) with English subtitles
Rating: Not rated

From the Right Side of the Law to the Inside of Prison

Director Jimmy Henderson’s (Jailbreak) new film THE PREY, inspired by Richard Connell’s The Most Dangerous Game, is a riveting drama about Xin (Gu Sheng Wei, “Bloody Destiny”), an Chinese undercover police officer, working an international case in Cambodia, who gets caught-up in a police raid and ends up at the mercy of The Warden (Vithaya Pansringarm “Only God Forgives”) the ruthless, demonic head of a remote prison located in the jungles Cambodia.

It didn’t take long for Xin to become a central figure in The Warden’s sadistic ritual of a human hunting season for those with the money pay and the stomach to endure the gruesomeness of the sport. The Warden’s obvious pleasure in the torture of prisoners, while singing and dancing, is disturbing all so many levels.

Henderson, Michael Hodgson, Kai Miller’s storyline with the mental instability of The Warden and unsettling desires of the hunters provides for some unpredictable outcomes, because you never know what someone void of human emotions can do.

With the male dominated prison storyline, , they found a great way to bring in female character, Detective Li (Dy Sonita “Jailbreak”.) in a male dominated environment. Her button-up blouse and unassuming ponytail gives the impression of a meek personality. That assumption is soon put to rest as she holds her own against the ruthless Warden and hunters as she fights for survival.

As The Warden said to Xin, “you thought hell was a fairy tale. I made it real.”

The hell on earth was brought into existence with the help and participation of Mat (Byron Bishop “Only God Forgives”), Makara (Sahajak Boonthanakit “Only God Forgives”), Ryu (Dara Our “Jailbreak”), the hunters who paid the big bucks to hunt humans.
The idea of rich people going on a hunting trip where prisoners are the prey seems farfetched, yet it is possible that some hunters who become bored with hunting animals, would turn to hunting those who are left, human beings.

The lush, green and serene interior of the jungle and the beautiful, scenic water fall and river provides a contrast to the violence of the hunters and the lack of humanity in the murder of the hunted in its mist really stands out and adds to the experience.
Officer Xin and all the other prisoners truly have hell to pay, at the hands of The Warden, while on the inside of prison. THE PREY is a good film with plenty of action and suspense to keep your eyes on the screen.
Run time: 1 hr. 33 min
Distributor: Dark Star Pictures, North American Distribution
Production Co: Altered Vision Films, Prince Social Marketing, Kongchak Pictures
Cast: Byron Bishop, Sahajak Boonthanakit, Nophand Boonyai, Vithaya Pansringarm, Gu Shangwei,
with Rous Mony, Dy Sonita
Executive Producers: Chen Zhi, Guy Chhay
Producers: Jimmy Henderson
Associate Producers: Loy Te, Li Tao,
Director: Jimmy Henderson
Written by: Jimmy Henderson, Michael Hodgson, Kai Miller
Director of Photography: Lucas Gath
Music: Sebastien Pan
Release date: August 21, 2020 in North America
Virtual Theaters: August 21. Including Los Angeles (Laemmle), New York (Alamo On Demand), and major cities
VOD (US & Canada): August 25, 2020. Including ITunes, Amazon, Google Play, Xbox, Vudu, DirecTV, Dish Network and all major cable providers

View trailer below!

ANTHONY ANDERSON RECEIVES THE 2,691st STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME

Photo: Hollywood Walk of Fame

Actor, comedienne Anthony Anderson received the 2,691^st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, August 14, 2020, in the first virtual award ceremony in the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce’s history.

Anderson’s celebrated this significant event with his family and friends one-day before his 50^th birthday on August 15^th, at the Hollywood Museum, located inside the historic Max Factor building, the make-up artist of the Golden Age of Hollywood. His star is located at 6780 Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue.

The day’s emcee was President and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Rana Ghadban. Guest speakers were Doris Bowman, Anthony’s mother, a talented actress in her own right, and funny man and Walk of Famer, George Lopez, and Executive Brian Dobbins

Anthony is from the City of Compton, CA and s acting while attending performing arts classes at Hollywood High School. He has received 6 straight Emmy and two Golden Globes nominations for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.

Staying busy, Anthony stars in and executive produces the ABC hit show “black’ish”, its spin-offs “grown-ish” and mixed-ishis , and is the the host of another ABC show “To Tell The Truth”. performed in Norman Lear’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience as George Jefferson in the “ All in the Family” segment. He has received 15 Image Award nominations and has won six as Outstanding Action in a Comedy Series.

In addition to conquering the small screen, Anderson has had much success in film too, beginning in 1999 role in “Life”. His memorable role in “Barbershop”, “My Baby’s Daddy”, “Me, Myself & Irene”, “Big Momma’s House”, “Kingdome Come”, King’s Ransom”, “Hustle & Flow”, “The Departed”, “Transformers”, “Small Time Crime”, and “The Beats” to name a few.

What a great way to bring-in 50, receiving a well-deserved Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Congratulations Anthony Anderson! Happy Birthday!

Watch the virtual ceremony below.

NAIL IN THE COFFIN: The Fall and Rise of Vampiro

Screening in Limited Theaters
Friday, September 4, 2020

Available on VOD/Digital
Tuesday, September 8, 2020

Directed by: Michael Paszt
Featuring: Professional Wrestler Ian Hodgkinson (Vampiro) and Dasha Hodgkinson

Runtime: 1 hr 28 min
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Genre: Documentary
Country: Canada

Semi-retired professional wrestler Ian Hodgkinson reveals the harsh realities behind the glamour of being in the world of wrestling as the infamous ‘Vampiro’. A Lucha Libre legend, Hodgkinson tells the astonishing story about his meteoric rise to fame in the 90's and how it almost killed him. Yet none of that was as back-breaking as his current life - working behind-the-scenes as the Director of Talent for Lucha Libre AAA in Mexico City and Lucha Underground in Los Angeles, while simultaneously raising his teenage daughter Dasha in remote Northern Canada as a single parent.

Unlike many professional wrestling documentaries before, director Michael Paszt has constructed a fascinating and heartfelt look at a wrestler who has overcome and continues to battle with physical injuries, sexual abuse, and drug addiction. Not to mention the wild stories of working for Milli Vanilli, and wrestling alongside the punk rock band The Misfits - Vampiro’s stories are multi-faceted and completely enthralling.

Told through an engrossing collection of home videos and personal interviews with his closest friends and family, NAIL IN THE COFFIN is an intimate and genuine look into a single father grappling with fame, the pressures of professional and personal responsibilities, and his own mortality.

NAIL IN THE COFFIN celebrated its world premiere at Fantastic Fest in 2019, coming out with raving reviews. The film will be releasing in limited theaters on Friday, September 4, 2020 and will be available on major VOD/Digital platforms beginning Tuesday, September 8, 2020.

“NAIL IN THE COFFIN: The Fall and Rise of Vampiro is an incredibly inspirational true story that shows us no matter how many times life tries to beat you down and break you apart, you need to rise up and conquer your demons in order to survive,” says Patrick Ewald, CEO of Epic Pictures (U.S. Distribution). “And now, as we are faced with incredible challenges all around us, I can’t think of a more relevant film to remind us of the resiliency and power of the human spirit.”

NAIL IN THE COFFIN is directed by Michael Paszt. Produced by Pasha Patriki and Paszt, associate producer Maye Ornelas and executive produced by Gregor Habsburg, Jacquelyn Frisco, Ian Hodgkinson, Marisela Peña, Dorain Roldån, James Fler, and Andrew Thomas Hunt. Cinematography by Patriki, and edited by Danny Palmer.

NAIL IN THE COFFIN will be available on VOD/Digital Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020:

Fandango Now | DirecTV | Breaker | Alamo On Demand

Blu-ray pre-order: https://epic-pictures.com/merchandise/nail-in-the-coffin-the-fall-and-rise-of-vampiro-blu-ray

About Epic Pictures

Since the foundation of the company in 2007, CEO Patrick Ewald has grown Epic Pictures into an independent content studio with the mission of delivering the best-in-class genre entertainment “for fans, by fans.” Epic Pictures produces, finances, and distributes approximately twenty-thirty independent genre films a year. In 2013, the company established Epic Pictures Releasing which is its US focused distribution division. In 2017, Epic Pictures acquired the world’s most popular horror website, Dread Central, and launched its unique horror label, Dread, followed by its AVOD channel, DreadTV. In 2019, Epic Pictures started the horror gaming site, DreadXP, with a focus on editorial, reviews, podcasts, and original streaming content. In 2020, DreadXP began a video game publishing division with the launch of The Dread X Collection, an anthology of horror games in collaboration with some of the most innovative developers in the independent gaming space. https://epic-pictures.com/